From Gloria Howell, Ruth's lifelong friend...

"Because Ruth began her opera studies with Luigi Ricci or perhaps just because she was Ruth, she loved the way opera was done in the first half of the twentieth century.  She loved that Ricci and the Italian opera singers went to the Met on a boat and stayed for six months at a time.  She loved the tradition and the care that translated into "art" which this period in opera's history reflected.  She and an Italian conductor once had a conversation about our country's "instant opera," as the Italians described it.  The conductor that day called this era "spaghetti in a box."  Ruth loved that and quoted that description, laughing each time she did.

There were a few along the way, who not only influenced Ruth, but whom she deeply loved.  Her manager, Robert Lombardo, was a huge support but more importantly, he was one of her best friends.  In one of the last letters Ruth wrote, she told Bob, "You'll never know how much you mean to me."  Another huge influence was Daniel Ferro, her voice teacher for her entire career.  I was privileged to sit in on many of Ruth's lessons with Daniel.  It was like watching a fascinating tennis match.  Both were so gifted; both loved the game they were playing so much.  Ruth also loved Matthew Epstein, her first manager.  She called him Matty and loved to tell him to be good.  This always made him laugh.  She loved Jane Klaviter, who shared Ruth's love of Ricci and continues the traditions today.  But beyond those who supported her work in this way, Ruth loved singers especially.  Her best friends were Rosa Laghezza and Alfredo Kraus.  Ruth and Alfredo were separated by a 20-year age difference, but it didn't matter.  He called her little bug; she called him Alfie.  Together, they made beautiful music.  Adib Fazah, her accompanist Michael Cordovana, Nicola Rescigno, and so many others, Ruth also kept in her heart.  Ruth told me when she retired from Opera that what she missed most was not the music, but the people.  Those who put the opera on and those who performed with her.

Now it's our turn to miss Ruth."